a. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains generally to electrophysiological devices having multiple lumens and methods for manufacturing multi-lumen electrophysiological devices. More particularly, the invention is directed to catheters and introducers and methods for manufacturing catheters and introducers having multiple, integrally-formed or co-extruded side lumens for enclosing elongate members, such as steering wires and electrical wires.
b. Background Art
Catheters are used for an ever-growing number of procedures. For example, catheters are used for diagnostic, therapeutic, and ablative procedures, to name just a few examples. Typically, the catheter is manipulated through a patient's vasculature and to the intended site, for example, a site within the patient's heart. The catheter typically carries one or more electrodes, which may be used for ablation, diagnosis, or the like.
Many catheters include one or more wires, for example, pull wires for steering and deflecting the catheter and/or electrical wires for energizing electrodes or other energy delivery or diagnostic elements. In some catheters, the wires are enclosed in small, polymeric liners or jackets that surround a main liner or jacket. The small jackets are manufactured separately from the main jacket and are subsequently glued along the length of the main jacket. The gluing process is time-consuming and can be inefficient. The small jackets must be glued substantially straight along the length of the main jacket; otherwise, steerable devices will not deflect properly. Also, the process becomes more time-consuming for devices using greater numbers of wires because greater numbers of small jackets must be glued along the length of the main jacket.
Accordingly, there is a growing need for improved catheters and improved methods for manufacturing catheters having liners or jackets that enclose the various wires to eliminate the time-consuming and inefficient gluing process.